Child's Drawing of a Pig in a Bowtie Garners Mixed Reactions Online
In a now-viral video, one mom shares her daughter's upsetting experience at school after a teacher confiscated her artwork.
A mother on TikTok decided to tell the story of what happened to her 11-year-old daughter regarding a drawing she did at school.
Sierra Carter recounted how she got a call from her daughter's art teacher about a drawing she made that the teacher thought was possibly inappropriate.
At the end of the TikTok video, Carter shows the drawing in question: an image of a pig standing up, waving, and saying "Hi," while wearing a bowtie.
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The art teacher told Carter about how “A little boy had come up to her and made her aware that he thought my daughter drew boy parts on her pig project."
In response, Carter's daughter clarified that she drew a bowtie, but the teacher "confiscated" the drawing and showed the vice principal of the school.
At the time, Carter hadn't seen the image, so she proceeded to meet with the teachers as requested, but once she saw the picture, she was angry.
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Speaking with TODAY.com, Carter said, “When they showed me the drawing, I was beside myself. It was clearly what my daughter said it was."
The school's principal joined the conversation, with Carter sharing what happened next: "He argued with me over what a bow tie looks like. Finally, he’s like, ‘I’ll let it slide this time — but I’m gonna put this in her file.’”
As she explained further in the TikTok, Carter asked why the drawing even needed to be put in a file when her daughter did nothing wrong.
She also questioned the teacher's initial response to the situation, saying that, to her, it was the boy's response to the drawing that should've been addressed, not the drawing itself.
The school district's superintendent, John Denney, told TODAY.com that "nothing has been placed in any student’s school records related to this matter," before saying that "our staff handled the situation with compassion and discretion...No student was singled out or ostracized. Every effort was made to protect the privacy and dignity of all students.”
Despite that, Carter said that sometime after the incident, which happened in January, she pulled her daughter out of school, saying, "She was so embarrassed and felt so singled out. No kid should feel like that. She should feel safe."
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In general, the response on TikTok has been positive and encouraging for Carter and her 11-year-old.
"Since when are 'boy parts' at the neck!!?? I’d be meeting with the superintendent," said a viewer.
Many current and retired teachers also shared their opinion, with one saying, "Teacher here… bow tie, but woulda had to show my fellow teachers because it’s cute and funny. Nothing more."
Another commented, "Recently retired public school teacher here. This is part of why the public school system is failing. The administrators and the social worker in this."
A parent sympathized with Carter, replying, "I have a 6yr old- and when he draws he draws according to his 6yr old brain and how he thinks it is! There’s NEVER motive behind it."
Carter said that her daughter hasn't received an apology from the school, though she requested one, and many people on TikTok encouraged her to take the issue further.
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